PARLIAMENT

Inangahua Times, 22 April 1932, Page 2

PARLIAMENT

HOUSE OF REPRESENT A- I TIVES. NATION AX EXPENDrrTRE BILL. AUt NIGHT SITTING. OLD AGE AND WIDOWS’ PENSIONS REDUCED. (Par United Praia Aaan.) WELLINGTON, Last Night. The closure was applied to a clause dealing with the rights of a superannuant and Labour divided tbe House, but allowed the clause to be Carried on the voices. A clause saving the rights of Magistrates to a retiring allowance, was passed without discussion and members proceeded to debate a clause saving the rights of other persons not otherwise mentioned) Left sitting at 2 a.m. Sitting night and day the House of Representatives made further progress with the committee stage of the National Expenditure Adjustment Bill. There were two unusual incidents in cdnnOctkm with fhe divisions taken on amendments to a clause reducing old age pensions. An amendment seeking to omit a sub-clause which provides for a reduction of old age pensions by 1/9 per week was rejected by 3d to 34. Mr McCombs alleged that there had been a gross irregularity in that Mr Healy bad entered the Chamber and asked Mr Makitanara to vote against the amendment. Mr Healy said Mr Makitanara had not been well and had asked him to record his vote. It had been arranged that aU members were to go into thd lobbies for this division and be had gone to Mr Makitanara to tell him that he must go into the lohhy. He had not mentioned which lobby.

Mr Walter Nash said he had seen Mr Healy ask Mr Makitanara to vote and Mr Makitanara had said he wanted to

vote for pensions. Mr Makitanara said he would not be coerced by anyone. He had voted against the amendment. Thi Chairman of Committee said be had Mr Makitanara'B word that bis

vote had been recorded according to his own wishes, so there had been no question of the vote having been influenced.

Further division was taken on the sub-clause governing the amount wblcb may be earned by pensioners. An amendment, to delete this portion was defeated by 40 to 29. Mr Langstone then rose to a point of order. He said, on the earlier division, Messrs Wright and Stallworthy had voted in favour of the amendment and he alleged that tbey had intended to vote similarly on the division Just taken, but Mr J. A. Nash had approached them and taken them over to the other lobby.

Mr J. A. Nash said there had been some misconception as to what vote was being taken and he had simply told Mr Wright there was a motion against reduction in the earning power of old age pensioners and that he personally was not voting for it. Mr Wright confirmed this statement. Mr Stallworthy said he had not been called by anyone. Mr J. A. Nash pointed out that hi* conversation with Mr Wright had taken place before the doors bad been locked. 1 ' The Chairman of Committees accepted this statement and added that as both Messrs Wright and Stall-worthy bad stated they were capable of making up their own minds, no irregularity had taken place. Clauses reducing old age and widows’ pensions had been forced through when the House adjourned for breakfast. Clauses relating to pensions of miners and miners’ widows were debated when tbe House resumed at 9.30. The Leader of tbe Opposition' appealed to tbe Government to drop ell clauses relating to miners’ pensions. The amount of saving involved would not be very large, but would mean » great deal to the people concerned. He submitted that the mining industry should have been called upon t» pay tbs pensions to those whose lives had been wrecked in the industry. Mr Samuel said no one who had lived in a mining electorate would be a party to reducing these pensions. It would be a crime over which the angels would weep if women who had toiled devotedly for those who bad been broken on tbe industrial wheel were deprived of tbe means of livelihood. Mr Coates gave an assurance that the question of miners and widows' pensions would be reviewed next session, when Legislation would be Introduced with a view to giving satisfaction to those affected. Mr Semple: Will you give a guarantee that pensions will be restored? Mr Coates: I am not altogether in a position to give a guarantee. Members raised the question as to the exact meaning of Mr Coates’ undertaking, expressing a fear that the circumstances ufight prevent the pensions from being restored. Mr Coates promised that Legislation would be introduced to enable the matter to be reconsidered. Tbe miners’ pension clauses were passed by 1.30 p.m.. divisions being forced at every stage. HOUSE CONTINUES. WELLINGTON, Last Night. Without adjourning for lunch, the House of Representatives continued this afternoon to deal with the National Expenditure Adjustment Bill.

The closure was applied at 2 p.m. to the discussion of the clause reducing South African war pensions and the clause passed by 40 to 31,

hb McCombs moved to report peepress and obtain a ruling as to whether a reasonable time been allowed for discussion before the use of the closure.

Mr Forbes contended that ample opportunity had been offered and the motion was rejected by 44 to 26. A section, defining the term •• income” for tbe purpose of the Pensions Act, was carried by 43 to 32 and one restricting tbe right to receive two or more pensions was carried by 43 to 31. The House did not adjourn for tea, but went ahead in the discussion on the danse reducing war pensions POLICY CRITICISED. WELLINGTON, Last Night. Mr Jordan strongly criticised the policy of the Government in reducing war pensions in view Of the promises to the men when they left the Dominion for overseas. The Minister of Pensions, Mr Oobbe, asked what was the exact position of the pension for a man who had been permanently disabled, fixed at tbe rate of £9l in 1916, but bad subsequently been Increased to £lO4 per year in 1918. Tbe economic pension was fined at £1 a week, but bad been increased to 30/- in 1023. An English pensions department officer whom he had interviewed some time ago informed him that England had no economic pension from 1916 to 1923. There had also been increases in, other classes of war pensions. He assured tbe House that there would have been no alteration in the pensions had it not been for the country’s financial position. Mr Hargest opposed the reduction of pensions and reminded the House of members’ promises to returned men at various times. He appealed to thorn to remember these promises, stating, at the present time, partially disabled soldiers were practically helpleas In view of the depression. Mr Rnshworth suggested that’ members who supported the clause and wore taking part in Ansae Day celebrations on Monday should make the section of tbe Bill the subject of their addresses.

Mr Dickie considered that pensions here compared very favourably w those of other countries. So far as the returned soldiers of his district were concerned he thought they Were very satisfied with the pensions.

Mr Samuels said he had boon intruded by the Returned Soldiers’ organisations in his district strongly to oppose the cut. The clause was carried by 38 to 84. The last clause in past two of the Bill, providing for redaction in family allowances, was quickly dealt with. In answer to Labour opposition, the Hon. Coates said he c aimated the cost Of family allowances this year at £121,000 and it was necessary to make reductions in this amount. He denied the suggestion that allowances had been fixed on the basis of the new basic wage.

The clause was carried by 39 to 3L At this juncture, progress , wae reported and tbe House adjourned until 2.80 p.m. on Wednesday. Tbe Prime Minister, in answer to a Labour inquiry, said the House would proceed with part three of the National Expenditure Adjustment BU on Wednesday.